Seeing China in 2014

52 Stories, One Image at a Time

  • Wang Song/Xinhua/Zuma Press
    Wang Song/Xinhua/Zuma Press
  • Quentin Top/Wostok Press/Zuma Press
    Quentin Top/Wostok Press/Zuma Press
  • Anthony Kwan/Getty Images
    Anthony Kwan/Getty Images
  • Andrew Burton/Getty Images
    Andrew Burton/Getty Images
  • Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
    Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
  • Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
    Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
  • Luo Guojia/Xinhua/Zuma Press
    Luo Guojia/Xinhua/Zuma Press
  • Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
    Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
  • Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images
    Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images
  • Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
    Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
  • Lintao Zhang/Getty Images
    Lintao Zhang/Getty Images
  • Shen Bohan/Xinhua/Zuma Press
    Shen Bohan/Xinhua/Zuma Press
  • Jeff Widener/Zuma Press
    Jeff Widener/Zuma Press
  • Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
    Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
  • AFP/Getty Images photo
    AFP/Getty Images photo
  • Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
    Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
  • Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images
    Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images
  • Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
    Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
  • Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
    Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
  • Xinhua/Zuma Press photo
    Xinhua/Zuma Press photo
  • Imaginechina/Zuma Press photo
    Imaginechina/Zuma Press photo
  • Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
    Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
  • Jason Lee/AFP/Getty Images
    Jason Lee/AFP/Getty Images
  • ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images photo
    ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images photo
  • Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
    Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
  • Xaume Olleros/AFP/Getty Images
    Xaume Olleros/AFP/Getty Images
  • Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
    Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
  • Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
    Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
  • Wang Shen/Xinhua/Zuma Press
    Wang Shen/Xinhua/Zuma Press
  • Scott Barbour/Getty Images
    Scott Barbour/Getty Images
  • Lam Yik Fei/Getty Images
    Lam Yik Fei/Getty Images
  • Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images
    Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images
  • Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images
    Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images
  • Feng Li/Getty Images
    Feng Li/Getty Images
  • Christophe Archambault/AFP/Getty Images
    Christophe Archambault/AFP/Getty Images
  • AFP/Getty Images photo
    AFP/Getty Images photo
  • Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images
    Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images
  • Andy Wong-Pool/Getty Images
    Andy Wong-Pool/Getty Images
  • Xu Yu/Xinhua/Zuma Press
    Xu Yu/Xinhua/Zuma Press
  • Zhou Mi/Xinhua/Zuma Press
    Zhou Mi/Xinhua/Zuma Press
  • Marcio Machado/Zuma Press
    Marcio Machado/Zuma Press
  • Chen Junqing/Xinhua/Zuma Press
    Chen Junqing/Xinhua/Zuma Press
  • Shen Bohan/Xinhua/Zuma Press
    Shen Bohan/Xinhua/Zuma Press
  • Purbu Zhaxi/Xinhua/Zuma Press
    Purbu Zhaxi/Xinhua/Zuma Press
  • Whitehotpix/Zuma Press photo
    Whitehotpix/Zuma Press photo
  • Li Qiaoqiao/Xinhua/Zuma Press
    Li Qiaoqiao/Xinhua/Zuma Press
  • Xue Yubin/Xinhua/Zuma Press
    Xue Yubin/Xinhua/Zuma Press
  • Xie Chen/Xinhua/Zuma Press
    Xie Chen/Xinhua/Zuma Press
  • Zhang Meng/Xinhua/Zuma Press
    Zhang Meng/Xinhua/Zuma Press
  • Lin Yiguang/Xinhua/Zuma Press
    Lin Yiguang/Xinhua/Zuma Press
  • Li Xin/Xinhua/Zuma Press
    Li Xin/Xinhua/Zuma Press
  • Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
    Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

In 2014, ChinaFile published great original work in photography. As always, we worked to look beyond stereotypical images of the country to find nuanced representations of the new and ChinaFile contributors’ commentary on it. Still, many of our favorite images available through our subscriptions to Getty Images and Zuma Press didn’t find a home in our day-to-day coverage.

As this year drew to an end, ChinaFile interns, Yang Cong and Xin Liu, and I combed through tens of thousands of images of China made in 2014. Fifty-two of our favorites made the cut. Some record well-covered events: President Obama's trip to Beijing in November, Hong Kong's Umbrella protests, the loss of flight MH370. Others catch moments that resonate with the news in quieter ways: a mother kisses her child goodbye outside a baby hatch, women sew protective garments that will be used by Ebola workers, people sit in traffic, eat breakfast, go to work, and prepare for another new year.

You may click through them all in the gallery above, or scroll down to see full caption information and a list of related links from some of my favorite ChinaFile coverage in 2014. I hope you will enjoy the look back and perhaps even share your favorites on Facebook or Twitter. Just be sure to tag ChinaFile.

David M. Barreda